Recently someone posted on one of my list serves and asked how they could get reviews for their book. In an interesting turn, replies came through for both magazine and newspaper reviews and online reviews. I was able to steer her toward online reviews because I've been working on promotion for my E books for the past few months.
So it occurred to me that my readers might like to have some information on obtaining reviews for their E books. My first suggestion was to go to blog posts of other writers and see what links they had up for their own reviews appearing online. Then approach those people for reviews of your book. It's important to take part in social media by commenting on postings, following their links and commenting there. Once your name is known by these reviewers and they've possibly followed your posting and taken a look at your website, you're more likely to get a review, interview or an invite to do a guest blog.
All three of these are equally important when promoting your book(s). An interview on a popular blog can be as effective as a book review, as can a guest appearance. I noticed a peak in my sales on Kindle after appearing on Morgen Bailey's blog. I was asked to appear after I had participated in interviews on other blogs and Morgen read them. I'd also guest posted on a couple of them.
Another Morgan (different spelling) has a great blog where authors interested in getting noticed should comment and get acquainted. What you have to offer is very important in getting you noticed so that interviewers and reviewers want to talk about your book. What are you offering to your readers online? You must have some expertise. You've researched your books, haven't you? What have you learned? Share it. Offer to host a post for other authors in your genre or field of expertise. They will return the favor. Some blogs don't have a huge following, but you can help boost that following by sharing your posting with your Facebook and Twitter friends.
When you're on Facebook and you see something shared, follow the link, read the post, then in turn share it to your friends. This is the way the Internet is meant to work. It's like tentacles that reach out in ever widening circles, with everyone sharing what they enjoy, and their friends sharing in turn. Once you're doing this on both Twitter and Facebook, you'll have a broader following.
Another way to get your book mentioned in reviews, interviews and blog postings is to join two or three writer or reader groups and begin to interact with the members. When someone asks for blog hosts, volunteer. It's not difficult to host someone else, then they in turn will probably offer to host you. If they don't, ask them to. All of these opportunities lead to more and more of the same.
Sites like Savvy Authors offer opportunities to get noticed online. Google for sites of bloggers in your field of expertise. If you write westerns it isn't difficult to find a lot of blogs in that field; paranormal is the same, but branch out so that you're not only interacting with writers but with readers as well. Oh, yes, writers are readers, but not all readers are writers. Find them too.
Yes, I know, all this takes time, but once you get it all rolling, you can devote either an hour a day or a day each week to promotion and it won't be long before you're known all over the web.
Women Who Won the West
Check out the Montana Trilogy on Kindle
Pre Order Wolf Song
Monday, December 26, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
CULTURE SHOCK AT RT
In the good old days of publishing, pre-midlist crisis and the scramble to survive by the big publishers, Romantic Times Magazine (RT) held a convention every year for romance writers. This year it will be held in Chicago.. I'm sure that it's not what it used to be.
In those days we romance writers ruled the publishing world. We sold more books than any other genre, even the mystery/thrillers that are so hot today. And we knew how to have a good time. The first RT conference I attended was in April of 1994. My first book with Topaz wasn't due out till October, but my editor wanted to meet me and asked if I could come. Who could turn down an invitation like that?
So I flew out of our small airport here in the Ozarks not knowing what to expect when I arrived. I'm trying now to remember where it was. I attended several: in Dallas, Nashville, Ft. Worth, and ??? Louisiana. They are all a whirl in my mind today. There's been a lot of water pass over the dam since then. But what I do remember are the cover models.
My mouth fell open when I saw them, most of them attired in very little, just like they appeared on book covers. And were they ever sweet. Many of them carried around a bundle of long stemmed roses to hand out to the authors. My cover model the first year was the Topaz Man himself, Steve ????. I was surprised to find him in jeans and a flannel shirt, and that's how he posed with me for a photo. I later wrote in my journal that ny mother would have been proud of Steve. His manners were perfection, yet he didn't appear to be acting the part. In later years when the Topaz Man was Mr. Universe, he posed with me dressed in very little. It was like being held by a finely formed marble statue.
These guys had a ball, too. There was a stage production where they danced and writhed around on the floor and posed with the young ladies who were very beautiful and sadly mostly ignored by the huge, almost all female group of writers. I later learned that this part of the program was to get writers to request certain of the models for their upcoming books.
By the time it was over, I was truly in culture shock. I had flown from a small Arkansas town environment into a group of naked men and squealing writers, and I wasn't quite sure how to react.
When the next convention rolled around, at least I knew what to expect. And I had a book out and another on the way. Georgina Gentry told me that I would be a star of Topaz, but sadly that wouldn't come true. There wasn't time. But I didn't know that yet, so the fire burned hot in me. We were at Ft. Worth the second time because I remember going to a dinner at the Stockyards, held for all the Topaz writers and The Topaz man. It was an orgy of food. We ate from 8-10 o'clock, all the while chattering wildly. There were only two men there, Steve and one of the writer's husbands. Being there was a surreal dream.
At the book signing event, I wore my Topaz Man T Shirt and it was a wild day. The publisher supplied boxes of books. Buses pulled up outside in a steady stream, letting off readers who filled the huge arena. We signed books, T shirts, some on people's backs, book marks, anything they could lay their hands on. It was one of the wildest experiences I've ever had.
For me, those days are gone, but I don't regret their passing, I appreciate the memories of that fleeting experience in a world I never knew existed. Now I'm content to hold my presentations and meet authors and readers and talk to them about my books and their stories. The conferences I attend are exciting but much more sedate than an RT convention, but I enjoy them. Every phase of our lives should hold great meaning for us, and we shouldn't be sorry when one passes because another awaits.
How Women Won the West
Read my Montana Trilogy on Kindle
Pre-Order Wolf Song The story of a reluctant shape shifter and a woman who runs with the wolves
Watch for my latest Western Historical Romance, STONE HEART'S WOMAN out in February
Read first chapters of all my books.
In those days we romance writers ruled the publishing world. We sold more books than any other genre, even the mystery/thrillers that are so hot today. And we knew how to have a good time. The first RT conference I attended was in April of 1994. My first book with Topaz wasn't due out till October, but my editor wanted to meet me and asked if I could come. Who could turn down an invitation like that?
So I flew out of our small airport here in the Ozarks not knowing what to expect when I arrived. I'm trying now to remember where it was. I attended several: in Dallas, Nashville, Ft. Worth, and ??? Louisiana. They are all a whirl in my mind today. There's been a lot of water pass over the dam since then. But what I do remember are the cover models.
My mouth fell open when I saw them, most of them attired in very little, just like they appeared on book covers. And were they ever sweet. Many of them carried around a bundle of long stemmed roses to hand out to the authors. My cover model the first year was the Topaz Man himself, Steve ????. I was surprised to find him in jeans and a flannel shirt, and that's how he posed with me for a photo. I later wrote in my journal that ny mother would have been proud of Steve. His manners were perfection, yet he didn't appear to be acting the part. In later years when the Topaz Man was Mr. Universe, he posed with me dressed in very little. It was like being held by a finely formed marble statue.
These guys had a ball, too. There was a stage production where they danced and writhed around on the floor and posed with the young ladies who were very beautiful and sadly mostly ignored by the huge, almost all female group of writers. I later learned that this part of the program was to get writers to request certain of the models for their upcoming books.
By the time it was over, I was truly in culture shock. I had flown from a small Arkansas town environment into a group of naked men and squealing writers, and I wasn't quite sure how to react.
When the next convention rolled around, at least I knew what to expect. And I had a book out and another on the way. Georgina Gentry told me that I would be a star of Topaz, but sadly that wouldn't come true. There wasn't time. But I didn't know that yet, so the fire burned hot in me. We were at Ft. Worth the second time because I remember going to a dinner at the Stockyards, held for all the Topaz writers and The Topaz man. It was an orgy of food. We ate from 8-10 o'clock, all the while chattering wildly. There were only two men there, Steve and one of the writer's husbands. Being there was a surreal dream.
At the book signing event, I wore my Topaz Man T Shirt and it was a wild day. The publisher supplied boxes of books. Buses pulled up outside in a steady stream, letting off readers who filled the huge arena. We signed books, T shirts, some on people's backs, book marks, anything they could lay their hands on. It was one of the wildest experiences I've ever had.
For me, those days are gone, but I don't regret their passing, I appreciate the memories of that fleeting experience in a world I never knew existed. Now I'm content to hold my presentations and meet authors and readers and talk to them about my books and their stories. The conferences I attend are exciting but much more sedate than an RT convention, but I enjoy them. Every phase of our lives should hold great meaning for us, and we shouldn't be sorry when one passes because another awaits.
How Women Won the West
Read my Montana Trilogy on Kindle
Pre-Order Wolf Song The story of a reluctant shape shifter and a woman who runs with the wolves
Watch for my latest Western Historical Romance, STONE HEART'S WOMAN out in February
Read first chapters of all my books.
Monday, December 12, 2011
A VISIT WITH JENNIFER JAKES
Welcome to Jennifer Jakes, the author of RAFE'S REDEMPTION, and more recently, TWICE IN A LIFETIME.
Jennifer, after reading your
website I’m inclined to ask different sorts of questions of you than I usually
ask of my guests. When the Ozark Creative Writer's conference in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, was visited by David Morrell, who is
the author of---or as he says the father of--- Rambo from First Blood, he advised
that until a writer digs into the darkest part of himself/herself she will not
become the writer she is intended to be. I believe you do a bit of that in your
writing.
Q. Where did you go within
yourself as an author to “dig out” the characters for your books?
A. Well, I like my stories to
have a darker edge or some danger. The few times I’ve had an idea for a lighter
story, the characters always take off in a tension filled direction – someone
dies, or is about to get killed, or a devastating secret is looming. Happens
every time. So I’ve decided I’ll get more writing done if I just go with what
I’m good at! J
Q. Do you have a certain
ritual to put you in the mood to write? Music, meditation, reading, etc?
A. If I’m stuck or want to
get in the right frame of mind for a scene, then music helps. I usually have a
song or two for each story.
Q. Give us a little
background on how and when you began to write, the successes and failures of
your career and where you are now.
A. I began seriously writing
about 5 years ago. Up until then, I just had a stack of notes in an envelope
labeled: The Story I’ll Write Someday. That story eventually became, RAFE’S
REDEMPTION, my debut novel.
Q. Why would anyone choose to
be a writer when it’s such a tough career?
A. I think because we have
stories in our heads that have to come out.
Q. Tell us how you manage :
Promotion? Research? Writing?
A. Promotion: This is the most mentally draining for me. When I promo
– which for me means a Blog Tour – I can be on 2 blogs a day for up to 4 weeks!
Research:
Since I’m a Civil War re-enactor, that research is easy – I live it during the
summer. My latest story, TWICE IN A LIFETIME, is a pirate historical so I did
have to research that time era and ships etc etc.
Writing:
That’s the fun part. I do seem to be more creative in the afternoon and evening
so I try to write then if possible.
Q. What is your opinion on
where publishing is headed today?
A. Oh, if I knew that I’d be
the richest woman in the world. I will say that my motto follows the “Don’t put
your eggs in one basket” theory. I’m not putting all my books in one publishing
basket – meaning I have one novel with
The Wild Rose Press, a small press and now I’ve self-published this short
novella. I can say I’m not looking for a contract with one of the Big 6 publishers
nor am I looking for an agent.
Q. How do you feel about the
emergence of e books and indie publishers?
A. I am ALL for them and have
been since before it was a popular idea.
Q. I tend never to read books
in the genre in which I’m writing for fear of subconsciously using something I
shouldn’t. How do you feel about that and what do you read?
A. Actually, since I mostly
write Western Historical and there are not a lot of authors writing that genre,
it’s not a problem. LOL I tend to read
authors I really like no matter what genre.
Q. What is your favorite
non-writing pastime and why?
A. Watching TV. I love
finding a good series or movie with a great plot.
Q. If you could tell a novice
writer three absolute things they should do for success, what would they be?
A. Learn the craft. Think
outside the box/or the Big 6. Don’t give up.
How about a blurb from your
latest book?
BLURB – TWICE IN A LIFETIME
Be Careful What You Wish For.
. .
No-nonsense stuntwoman
Isabella Douglas will do anything to stop an unwanted divorce and reclaim the
happy life she had, even allow her old friend to concoct a magical spell to
turn back time. But when the spell goes awry, Izzy finds herself trapped aboard
a 1768 Caribbean pirate ship with a captain who’s a dead ringer for her sexy as
sin husband, Ian. Convinced he’s playing a cruel joke, she’s furious – until
she realizes he doesn’t know her or believe they’re married.
Captain Ian Douglas does not
have time to deal with an insane woman who claims to be his wife; he has to
save his kidnapped sister. But as Izzy haunts his dreams and fills him with
erotic memories he can’t explain, he’s forced to admit he feels more than lust.
Trapped in a vicious cycle of
past mirroring present, Izzy knows they only have days to find Ian’s sister and
prevent disaster from striking a second time. If she doesn’t, their marriage
will be destroyed again – along with the man she loves.
Here are Jennifer's links, check out the hot candy blog, you'll like it.
Buy Links:
.99 cents on Amazon
.99 cents on SmashWords
Monday, December 05, 2011
CHRISTMAS IN THE 1800s
Did you know that many early settlers did not put up Christmas trees? As a matter of fact, Christmas was not declared a Federal holiday until June 26, 1870. Prior to the Civil War, those in the North mostly saw celebrating Christmas as a sin. In the early 1800s a Christmas riot broke out in New York City. It was thought of as a pagan holiday. Oddly enough, the Southern states embraced the holiday. The first three states to declare Christmas a legal holiday were Alabama in 1836; Louisiana and Arkansas in 1838. Still celebrations did not resemble those of today.
A story familiar to me is one about a school teacher who realized that many of her students had never seen a Christmas Tree. She rode horseback to the nearest town and using what few coins she had saved from her meager salary, bought material for decorations as well as a tiny gift for each student. She then asked some of the older boys to go into the woods and cut down a likely cedar tree. They brought it back to the one-room log school and the children made decorations of paper chains, strung popcorn and berries from the woods. Families were invited to join in the festivities by bringing food and the gifts were presented to the children by Santa. For some, this was the first time they had seen a decorated tree or met Santa. The date? Christmas, 1920 in the Ozarks.
It wouldn't be until after the Civil War that the celebration began to take on the connotations we see today. Decorations, caroling and shopping began to grow in popularity. Even so, those who headed West rarely carried with them a need to celebrate Christmas. The religious celebrations centered around churches and schools, but rarely moved into the small settlements that sprung up in the West during the great Westward Movement.
So, when you read western historical romances, you might think about their way of life and how very different it was from the way we live today.
A super gift for those you know receiving Kindles for Christmas this year, my western historical romance trilogy reveals life in Montana in the 1800s beginning with the end of the Civil War and continuing into the glory days of big ranching and the land wars of the late 1800s. Montana Promises, Montana Dreams and Montana Destiny are all available on Kindle. At $2.99 a real bargain.
For a history of how Christmas celebrations began in America.
A story familiar to me is one about a school teacher who realized that many of her students had never seen a Christmas Tree. She rode horseback to the nearest town and using what few coins she had saved from her meager salary, bought material for decorations as well as a tiny gift for each student. She then asked some of the older boys to go into the woods and cut down a likely cedar tree. They brought it back to the one-room log school and the children made decorations of paper chains, strung popcorn and berries from the woods. Families were invited to join in the festivities by bringing food and the gifts were presented to the children by Santa. For some, this was the first time they had seen a decorated tree or met Santa. The date? Christmas, 1920 in the Ozarks.
It wouldn't be until after the Civil War that the celebration began to take on the connotations we see today. Decorations, caroling and shopping began to grow in popularity. Even so, those who headed West rarely carried with them a need to celebrate Christmas. The religious celebrations centered around churches and schools, but rarely moved into the small settlements that sprung up in the West during the great Westward Movement.
So, when you read western historical romances, you might think about their way of life and how very different it was from the way we live today.
A super gift for those you know receiving Kindles for Christmas this year, my western historical romance trilogy reveals life in Montana in the 1800s beginning with the end of the Civil War and continuing into the glory days of big ranching and the land wars of the late 1800s. Montana Promises, Montana Dreams and Montana Destiny are all available on Kindle. At $2.99 a real bargain.
For a history of how Christmas celebrations began in America.
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